‹#›
U.S. Department of Transportation
Transportation and the Environment (cont’d)
§Increase in emissions from
transportation from 1990 to 2008 can be attributed
to:
□A 37
percent increase in light-duty vehicle miles traveled (VMT) due to:
▪Population Growth
▪Economic Growth
▪Urban Sprawl
▪Low Fuel Prices
□While the
total average fuel economy of vehicles increased during this time, the
average fuel economy of vehicles sold during this time decreased
▪Light duty trucks,
including sport utility vehicles, accounted for more than half of the vehicle market in
2004
As VMT and sales of vehicles with poor fuel economy increased, petroleum consumption also increased, which led to an increase in emissions
Source: Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2008.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)